Off-Duty SPD Sergeant Saves Woman from Knife Attack

A woman being chased by an stranger armed with a knife last night was rescued when an off-duty Seattle Police sergeant intervened and shielded her from the suspect.

Last night, at around 8:45 pm, the 50-year-old woman was walking near Martin Luther King Jr. Way South and South Othello. She had just come from the Safeway about a block away. Suddenly, without provocation, the suspect, an unknown man, started to chase her with an open knife. An off-duty Seattle Police sergeant, Sgt. Bryan Clenna, and his wife just happened to be driving through the intersection at that moment and saw the man armed with the knife chasing the woman. Sgt. Clenna stopped his vehicle and had the woman get into his car, shielding her from her attacker.

Sgt. Clenna notified 911 and additional officers responded. The suspect had walked northbound, and then turned back and ran toward the sergeant’s car with the knife still in his hand, raised. The suspect then suddenly turned around and ran off. Sgt. Clenna and the victim were able to provide detailed descriptions of the suspect.The victim told officers that she did not know the suspect, and she had feared for her life. Officers requested that a K-9 respond for a possible track. While that was being coordinated, officers heard a disturbance across the street in front of a bar. Patrons were struggling to throw someone out of the bar. Both the sergeant and victim stated that was the suspect. Officers were able to take the man into custody without incident. The knife was recovered from the suspect and he was later booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Harassment. Detectives are now following up on the case.

It is likely that the actions of off-duty Sergeant Clenna prevented a tragedy.

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